Automobile-body.



' No. 740,897. l 4PMENTED 0016,1903.l

- LH. MAGALMAN.

' "AUTOMOBILE BODY.

APPLIOATION `FILED PEB.24,1902. f N0 MODEL. 2sH-Bmssmm 1,

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J. EMMALMAN; AUTOMOBILE BODY. APPLIOATION FILED PEB'. 24, 1 902.

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NITED STATES Patented october e, isos.

PATENT VOrifice.

JOHN H. MACALMAN, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LOOOMOBILE COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A OOR- PORATION OF W'IESTv VIRGINIA.

AUTOMOBILE-BODY.

SPECIFGATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 740,897, dated 0ctober'6, 1903.

Application filed February 24, 1902. Serial No. 95,231. (No model.)

To LZ whom, t may con-cern,.- l

Be it known that I, JOHN H. MAGALMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Automobile-Bodies, of which the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts. i

This invention in motor-vehicles relates particularly to the bodies thereof, and has for its object to providea body with a dasher-box so constructed as to enable it to be used as an additional seat when desired, thus rendering the vehicle readilyconvertible -for carrying two or four occupants at will.

My invention will be best understood after a description ofone embodiment thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 in side elevation, partially broken Way, illustrates one embodiment of my invention, the footboard or box-front being extended or dropped and the back positioned, as required,

for accommodating four passengers. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the forward part of the Vehicle-body, and Fig. 3 a detail showing the locking devices for locking the seat in position.

Referring to the drawings in the embodiment of my invention there shown, the running-gear,comprising the wheelsa a, frame b, and springs c c, may be of suitable or Vdesired construction.

The body, mounted upon the springs c c,

is provided with a usual main seat, beneath which is arranged the boiler B, provided with l a suitable burner B and an engine B2, arranged in front of the boiler and geared, as by the chain B3, to the rear or driving axle.

The dasher-box in front of the principal seat d and in the place of the usual bodydasher, as here shown, comprises the sides e, surmounting which is au exposed seat e', surrounded at its ends and rear by a suitable railing e2. This seat e' is hinged at its front to the sides e, the hinges being shown at e3, so that the said seat may be turned upward into its dotted-line position, Fig. 1, to ex-` pose or give access to the interior of the s nections.

g or box-front is raised or closed.

dasher-box, where may be located, for instance, a fuel or other tank f, (shown in dotted lines, Fig. l.) This tank may be used to supply fuel to the burner B' by suitable con- (Not shown.)

The seat is locked in its running position, full lines, Fig. l, by a pair of fastener devices, shown as spring-clips c4, slotted to snap over and engage the pins e5 on the vertical rear board or wallf' of the box.

The box sides e are preferably vcurved at their front edges, and iitting these curved front edges is a front g, hinged at its lower edge at g' to the vehicle-body and adapted when in its elevated dotted position to close the front of the box, giving when in such position a graceful sweep to the front of the body. When it is desired to 'use the front seat of the vehicle, this front g is dropped down into its full-line position, Fig. l, where 7o it is sustained by the flexible or disappearing chains or connections g2, the latter disappearing within the box when this footboard or front is raised.

A foot-rail g3, hinged at g4 to the front or 75 footboard g, may be turned into its full-line position, Fig. l, when the footboard is in use and is turned down into its dotted position to enable it to enter the box when the said footboard or front is raised.

A detachable back h is shown, the same having a plurality ol depending supports that rest against the rail e2 along the back of the seat and also have their lower ends fitted `or bent like feet to enter eyes h3 in the box- 85 top, as best shown in Fig. 2. 'When the front seat is not in use, this back is lifted olf or removed and may be placed in the dasherbox in front of the tank when the footboard 9o Itis to be noted that a motor-vehicle constructed in accordance with my invention as herein shown provides the operator with a position on the main seat where he coniinands a view of all occupants of the vehicle, whether the latter is employed as a single or f double seated type, and is thus enabled to more intelligently andvconlpletely control the vehicle at all times and under all conditions, since he may have in mind and sight all roo those whose safety depends upon his skilful management. The position of control is not aected by the conversion of the vehicle, and the latter may beinstantly transformed from a single to a double seated carriage, or vice Versa, without the necessity on the part of the operatorof any change ot' position, either temporary during the changing or permanent after the change is effected; but thus broadly stated the invention is thesubjectof my case filed November 23, 1901, Serial No. 83,362, and the specific invention in this present c'ase comprises a motor-vehicle having similar characteristics wit-h the additional feature of a detachable seat-hack that may be readily removed and stowed away, so as to convert the vehicle into an apparent singleseat vehicle without aiecting its symmetry.

My invention is not limited to the particular embodiment here shown, as it may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim- In a motor-vehicle, the combination of a forwardly-facing main operatingseat for the operator of the Vehicle providing an nnchanging position of control, a dasher-box in front of and protecting said main seat, a movable front wall for said dasher-box opening outwardly and downwardly to constitute a footboard, means to support said movable front wall in its open position, and a detachable seat-back for said dasher-box, said dasher-boX in the open .position of its front Wall providing an additional forwardly-facing seat in View of the operator of the vehicle, without necessary change of position on the part of the operator and permitting the latter to command a View of the passenger-carrying portion of said vehicle at all times, and admitting of a change to an apparent single-seat Vehicle without disturbing its symmetry.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN H. MACALMAN.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, A. E. CHEsLEY. 

